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Full Cast Announced for Aladdin on Broadway
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AladdinsGenie
Genie of the Messageboard


Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Posts: 11773
Location: Tennessee

PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 11:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Salukfan wrote:
This is a great analysis of the characters and it makes me want to see the show more. I still can't get over the fact that so many of the elements of the Ashman treatment actually showed up in this (not as many as Seattle, sure, but the fact that Babkak/Omar/Kassim are canonized within the show is just incredible to me).


There's one moment in High Adventure that captures the oddball humor of this entire series so well that it made me realize they would have fit perfectly had they'd not been cut Laughing. They do not at all feel out of place. If anything I wish they were used a little more in the beginning (because their big moments are in the second half).

Salukfan wrote:
Oh, one more question for you! How much merchandise did you buy at the show? Everything? Laughing


I literally walked around with my Aladdin pocketbook going "oh god what is that I need that and what is this give me two of those uggggh well of course I have to get that I mean come on I need it". I left some small items there for modesty Laughing
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Meesh
Magic Carpet


Joined: 15 Oct 2004
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Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Coming back from vacation and reading your reviews - Bravo!! Very Happy

Were there any parts you felt didn't live up to your hopes?

Also, did you take any pictures worth sharing?
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AladdinsGenie
Genie of the Messageboard


Joined: 17 Jul 2004
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Location: Tennessee

PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 11:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Meesh wrote:
Coming back from vacation and reading your reviews - Bravo!! Very Happy

Were there any parts you felt didn't live up to your hopes?


Honestly, A Whole New World. I'm just...not sold on the carpet's movements. It made sense to me in the Seattle show why it was stationary because they stripped the song back to a slow ballad. It wasn't realistic for them to travel as fast as they did in the movie, but it went along with how fast things were happening in the plot, them rushing in to these new feelings, and that particular mix of the music capturing it all. You don't want to listen to a slow ballad going 100MPH, so something more static and intimate worked in the musical while putting the focus on Aladdin and Jasmine slowly falling for each other anew.

Yes, it's a magic carpet RIDE, but the carpet was never used like that in the musical prior to that point since he's no longer a character or source of transportation. Shoot, it's not even mentioned until this part because it's such an afterthought like "oh hey, by the way, I got this cool thing that flies, let's go on a trip". So there needs to be some sort of lead in about this magic carpet before we get there to give me more of the "ride" aspect and less "magic carpet", because otherwise I'm relying on what I already know about this scene from the movie as to what to expect, and like I said earlier the context is slightly different there (which lead to sad faces when it didn't fly around in Seattle, probably). I mean, I like what they did with it here, don't get me wrong, but I wanted more out of it at that point since you're making it move and nothing is dictating its limitations. While visually impressive, floating around stage just didn't feel like it was enough, and I felt myself caring less about the ride and more about Aladdin and Jasmine, which is what the stationary carpet version highlighted originally anyway so yeah. But it was a solid compromise between the music and making the carpet move, and audiences aren't going to be as picky as I am Laughing

Also, there was one point where I thought I saw the moon behind them turn in to the Earth with a backdrop of stars, which would imply they were in outer space and somehow still alive? Laughing

Meesh wrote:
Also, did you take any pictures worth sharing?


Take pictures, yes. Worth sharing, no. You don't need to see my eyes red and my face all fat and puffy from crying Laughing
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Meesh
Magic Carpet


Joined: 15 Oct 2004
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Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That would have been the part I picked, for the same reasons. A Whole New World is an adventure, an exciting whirlwind romance! (Side note: That is one reason why I don't like that they put a piano entrance on the OT instead of the sweeping strings one that's in the movie!)

Some of me was a little bit bored at the Prince Ali sequence as well tbh. I realize they don't have enough people or live animals to pull off a movie-scale parade, and what they did was clever, but it didn't quite do it for me. There were huge gaps between the entourage entrances, and Ali was hardly in it at all. In the movie, it was entertaining to see Aladdin happily/awkwardly basking in his newfound glory, as well as to watch the citizens' reaction/interaction with the parade. We didn't get that here.
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AladdinsGenie
Genie of the Messageboard


Joined: 17 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Right! Like I said, I get why it was stationary in the Seattle version and was content with that. Now I want the movement to feel "magical" instead of having it move just to please the people who wanted it to move because it feels pretty standard as is. The Disneyland version gets away with the same thing just by having it go over people's heads and it's considered impressive, you know? It's the same problem The Little Mermaid musical suffered from when they had them skate around the stage on heelys to simulate them swimming. After you've seen them suspended in air at the parks, you're left wondering why we can't do something of that quality here. I know the technical reasons why, but something closer to the illusion of swimming might have saved the backlash that musical got for that aspect.

And yeah, that song has become my favorite in recent years so I was expecting a little more. Before I got there I was told "the Disneyland version of Aladdin is better than the musical" and literally the only part I'd agree with people on that about is the Prince Ali segment. Again, once you've seen performers come down the isles and have Aladdin ride in on an giant elephant you can't go back from that Laughing. I loved that they utilized the space in the entire theater (which to be fair is way bigger than the New Amsterdam) and made you feel like you're in on this. Here, it's like you're peering in on a lively gathering, not a huge celebration.

HOWEVER, the musical's Friend Like Me segment blows the entire DL musical out the water so there's not even a contest Laughing. My friend said she thought the second half dragged just a tiny bit, but that's because your brain is so melted after that segment that anything afterwards wouldn't be given the fair amount of consideration it deserves. You end up thinking the musical numbers are going to get bigger from here on out but they're instead scaled back when those are bigger numbers in terms of visuals in the movie.
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Chris
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Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 337
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

End of an era next month. Adam Jacobs (Aladdin) is leaving the Broadway production of Aladdin on Feb 12th before playing Aladdin on tour starting in Chicago in April. And just announced today James Monroe Iglehart (Genie) is leaving on Feb 19th to star in Hamilton from April.

I know they couldn't stay with the show forever (and I'm excited for people who couldn't make New York to see Adam on tour) but this marks the first time any of the 5 main principle cast has left and they've all been with the show since Seattle in 2011! Courtney (Jasmine), Jonathan (Jafar) and Don (Iago) have all signed up for another year, along with Brian Gonzales (Babkak since Seattle) and Clifton Davies (Sultan since the pre-Broadway Toronto run) and Steel Burkhardt (first replacement for Kassim) and Brad Weinstock (first replacement for Omar).

Can't really afford it but flying out to see the Feb 12th show to see them all together one last time. Excited and sad at the same time. I'd love Disney to do a live record before Adam and James leave next month but probably more realistic to hope they do one in the future and get them back together like they did with the Newsies leads. But with the rumoured live action film coming (maybe next year?) I'm not sure they will.
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Meesh
Magic Carpet


Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 3558
Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got to see the NY show, but Adam wasn't in it that day. Was hoping to see it again in April, but alas. Maybe I'll see him on tour, since I've moved out to west. Razz

Thanks for the update Chris! I agree with all of your sentiments.
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AladdinsGenie
Genie of the Messageboard


Joined: 17 Jul 2004
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Location: Tennessee

PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2017 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was so sad when I heard but happy to hear they're also moving on to other projects to also give other people a shot to 'make some magic' with the roles, you know?

I've seen the whole cast and met the main three, but I'm trying to get Salukfan to go before they leave. Everyone convince her to go Laughing
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imekitty
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Joined: 07 Oct 2015
Posts: 283

PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AladdinsGenie wrote:
I'm trying to get Salukfan to go before they leave. Everyone convince her to go :lol:


Why does she need convincing? Is she or is she not an Aladdin fan? :b

(But I guess I do seem to recall that she likes KoT the most...?)
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Chris
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Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 337
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 3:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

King of Thieves you say?

I think then she would be most rewarded to consider this;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKl2FNtf0Lc
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Fez_Head
Cave of Wonders Tour Guide


Joined: 10 Oct 2015
Posts: 276
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, her screen name is Salukfan. If that doesn't scream KOT lover...

I saw the musical this past August for my 21st birthday with my parents (who definitely aren't as Disney-obsessed as myself) and they loved the show. Therefore, I am biased to say that any individual who likes Aladdin remotely should go and see it.

I must say that I was lucky that the show we went to had all of the main cast, save for Babkak who was played by Major Attaway (I didn't really care because he was hilarious). I really wanted to meet Jafar after the show, but he snuck out before anyone could see him. *Insert ironic "What a snake!" comment here* But I got to meet and get the autographs of the main three (plus the Sultan!), including JMI's signature on my Genie teddy bear.

As for that video, that was great to see. Adam and Courtney have such wonderful rapport. I demand KOT on Broadway! Who's with me?!
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Meesh
Magic Carpet


Joined: 15 Oct 2004
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Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 12:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Haha Chris - thanks for sharing that! Very Happy

This was also suggested on the side, which I enjoyed too:

Adam Jacobs and Laura Osnes - "Let Me Be Your Wings"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFyNGISiu48&spfreload=5
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imekitty
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Joined: 07 Oct 2015
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hahaha! "Honey, I know I told you to wait on the carpet, but could you come in here, please?" Too brilliant!

If KoT had better songs, I would definitely love to see it on Broadway! (Speaking of, Are You In or Out? came up randomly like twelve times while I was listening to my music yesterday.)
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Fez_Head
Cave of Wonders Tour Guide


Joined: 10 Oct 2015
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Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

KOT has pretty good songs. Obviously they're nothing compared to the original movie, but they are better than most direct to video music. Honestly, out of all of the songs I would want to see performed on a Broadway stage, it would have to be "Welcome to the Forty Thieves." It's just so bizarre and those guys that run around with the pink silk.

I live for those men. Very Happy
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AladdinsGenie
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Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Posts: 11773
Location: Tennessee

PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"I'm not use to walking" I love this cast so much Laughing
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